1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a remote control system and an information process system, and more particularly, to a remote control system and an information process system, which can easily edit macro so that a variety of functions can be consecutively realized in a remote control system remotely controlling a plurality of electronic devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, there are two types of remote control systems are well known. One is a self-update type remote control system that is designed to control a variety of electric devices by receiving and storing infrared signals. The other one is a pre-memory type remote control system that is designed to store key codes of electronic devices and manufacturer thereof so that a user identifies and selects a manufacturer and a model name to remotely control the devices.
In recent years, a remote control system has been designed to have an LCD screen formed of a touch panel and a plurality of hard buttons and to transmit infrared and RF signal, providing a graphic user interface (GUI) through the LCD screen.
That is, the user can control the electronic devices using the GUI displayed on the touch panel and can edit the GUI according to his/her liking.
In addition, it is possible to emulate through a computer and to edit and program the constitution and operation state of the remote control system on the computer.
As such a remote control system, “Pronto” of Phillips Company is widely known.
This remote control system is designed to edit macro that is a stream representing commands of specific steps.
That is, when the user generates the macro by inputting steps and inputs specific buttons relating to the macro, the remote control system operates the steps in regular sequence.
For example, when the user pushes a macro-setting button, the remote control system transmits infrared or RF signal so that a series of steps (i.e., TV ON, speaker ON, volume 30 (adjust of volume to a level 30), channel 18 (change the TV channel to the No. 18 channel) can be processed.
Accordingly, by push the key one time, a variety of operations can be realized.
Such a macro function can be edited by GUI of the remote control system and stored in the same. The edited macro may be uploaded to the computer. Alternatively, the macro function can be edited through a computer and then downloaded to the remote control system.
The edited macro function is stored in the memory so as to operate the edited functions when the user pushes the button relating to the macro function.
However, such a prior remote control system cannot provide easy macro editing function to the user.
For example; the prior GUI used for the macro editing vertically arranges the steps of the macro so that user can edit the desire functions. There are 255 steps the user can edit.
That is, as shown FIG. 1, the functions the user wants are vertically arranged in time sequence.
However, since the screen size that can display the edited state is limited, when the macro is edited to be complicated, it is very difficult for the user to identify if the macro is correctly edited.